The Sleeping King by Cindy Dees Page A

run like a hoyden, caught up with them just then, not a hair out of place and not the least bit out of breath. “Greetings. Welcome and well met, I am Arianna of Tyrel. To whom do I have the honor of speaking?”
    Raina gritted her teeth at her sister’s smooth courtesy. How come she could never manage to sound so calm and collected?
    â€œGreetings, my lady,” the younger one murmured as he bowed deeply. “It is an honor, indeed, to meet ane lu kagiri .”
    Raina started. She’d heard rumors of dead languages actually existing, but had never found any real evidence to support the rumors. Where did these men gain access to knowledge of any tongue other than the one spoken by everyone, everywhere? The syllables the young man spoke barely tickled at the edges of her understanding as if they were some incredibly ancient form of Common. She took a stab at its meaning. She who waits? Why would the fellow call her sister that?
    The older one spoke hastily, as if to distract from his young companion’s slip. “Our journey has been long and the road dusty. Perhaps a drink to wet our parched throats is to be had?”
    Arianna went into full hostess mode, then, bustling about and calling for servants to come relieve the travelers of their loads and bring water and wine right away.
    Raina trailed along behind the party, Justin faithfully at her side. She muttered to one of the mud-spattered load bearers, “From whence come you?”
    He looked startled to be addressed, and answered in a bare mumble, “We be Jena men. But them two’s”—he jerked his chin toward the men in green and his voice dropped into a bare whisper—“said to be Mages of Alchizzadon.” He made a hand sign to ward off evil magics.
    Although Raina wasn’t generally superstitious, she understood the man’s fear. There was something ominous about the pair. What on Urth could her mother have obtained from such men for her birthday present? Frankly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to receive such a gift.
    The parade passed under the sturdy portcullis and gained the outer bailey of the keep, which was paved more in muck than cobbled stones at the moment. The visitors were ushered into the manor proper, and abrupt quiet fell in the yard. Justin made to leave her side and head for the kitchens with the fish, but Raina touched his arm. He halted questioningly.
    â€œThanks be to you for today,” she said softly. “It was the best gift ever.”
    He smiled down fondly at her. “You are most welcome.”
    The moment froze itself in her memory, imprinting indelibly upon her mind, never to be forgotten, the pungent scent of lye from the recently cleaned stables and the crusty smell of hot bread, fresh from the brick beehive oven beside the kitchen; the red glow of the sunset highlighting one side of Justin’s face and casting the other in shadow; the coolness of coming evening upon her bare arms.
    He spoke quietly. “Go get ready for your party, muckling.”
    â€œYou will be there, will you not?” she asked anxiously. The new guests gave her a bad feeling, and a corresponding compulsion for him to be near surged within her.
    â€œI would not miss your party for all the world.”
    Impulsively she stretched up on tiptoe and dropped a quick kiss on his cheek. It wasn’t the sort of thing they did between them, and her face heated up. She whirled and ran for the keep.
    THE SOUTHERNMOST MARGIN OF THE COLONY OF DUPREE
    Will jumped carefully from boulder to boulder at the bottom of Hickory Knot, the big hill just beyond the village of Hickory Hollow, balancing his precious cargo in one hand and trying to remain silent all the while. It was his favorite moment of the day, taking the evening meal to the watch. The sun slipped below the horizon and long shadows hid his movement as he climbed.
    Adrick was on duty this eve. Will always tried to sneak up on the seasoned